»
Chess Manual

I now come to the gaps which Steinitz left in his theory for the problem to be solved was not pointed out to him until too late in his life, if at all. Steinitz, after his advice to both the attacking and defending parties, does not speak of the strategy that a player should follow who feels that he is neither the attacker nor the defender. What plan has the player to follow in a balanced position Of course, none with the immediate intention of winning, none which embodies the fear of losing,...

Variation, Definition of 109 Simple Combinations Illustrated 110 Combination Involving a Stalemate Ill Combination Involving a Smothered Mate 112 The Combination, What It Is and How Carried Out in Various Motifs in Combinations 115 Motif of the Weakness of a Piece of Little or No Mobility 115 A Faulty Opening in Which a Bishop Is Deprived of All Motif of Encircling Black King 116 Obstruction of Rook by a Bishop or Vice-Versa . . 116,117 Ending by Troitzki 116t117 Obstructing or Pinning an...

If White or Black on the first move advances P-K4, whereas the opponent holds the KP back, one-half of the board is open to the play of pieces whereas the other half abounds with obstructions. An accurate theorv of these Ooenin s does not as vet exist. One can only say that White should strive to hold the centre without advancing Pawns until he has his Rooks ready then he may push his Pawns with the intention of opening lines for these powerful pieces. The defence should resist the opening of...

PxP KKt Ka Kt B4 B Kts ch P KR4 These modes of development, which are numerous, are not aggressive. Still they do not lead to dead losses, but may, by good luck, produce good contests occasionally. What a pity that the first player has it in his power to reduce the French game to a sterile and lifeless position almost certain to end in a draw Otherwise, it would provide many a problem which would gladden the heart of every genuine Chess-lover. English Opening or Sicilian on the First Move....

This position that can arise in a variety of ways leads to a variety of continuations, and is therefore of conseqeunce. Black may choose between 5 , B-B4, which allows the Max Lange attack that is treated under this heading later on, has been treated of in the section of the Two Knights' good enough to develop Black, for instance, 5 , B-K.2 6 P-IC5, Kt-KKt5 7. R-Ki, P-Q3 8 PxP, QxP 9. P-KR3, Kt-B3 or 6. R-Ki, P-O3 7. KtxP, O 0, whereupon Black is well enough developed. White may, of course,...

But White, who would be unwise to play 4 P x P and retains thereby an advantage. The continuation might be White must not be too fearful of attacks by Pawns unsupported by pieces. The advancing Pawns of the opponent are soon attacked by Pawns and thereby work to the advantage of the player who has the greater number of pieces developed. White will be able to keep the Pawn. A defence which well satisfies the rules of development laid down at the beginning of this chapter is whereby the White KP...

White will now challenge the Pawn at QKt5. This move seems yielding, but Black, being initially on the defensive, is justified in that attitude. A premature attack may easily prove a boomerang, viz., Kt-Qs io RxP, thus keeping the Black Queen busy, which therefore cannot get to QB in time to support the onslaught. For 12 B-K3, supporting the King at the right moment. the lines are opened to the heavy artillery of White, 10

The KtP is backwards, h i s King s side is disorganised and his King bereft of refuge Alekhin wins methodically by making himself safe and slowly manoeuvring his opponent into a Zugzwang. This additional weakness was forced, for Black could not hide his Rook on KRi all the time. The Rook is exchanged o prevent KR-Kt3, w here White cannot exchange it without uniting the Black Pawns. Probably not necessary at this moment, but White can force it at any time by R-KKt3.